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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25714255">The shadow over Cardiff</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/myotishia/pseuds/myotishia'>myotishia</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Psyonic [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Torchwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Multi, Other</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:08:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,895</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25714255</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/myotishia/pseuds/myotishia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Friday evening should be time for the team to start getting some rest but the rift rarely takes a break.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gwen Cooper/Rhys Williams, Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones, Owen Harper/Toshiko Sato</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Psyonic [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1766956</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The calm before the storm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Owen watched Mel practically skip past as she carried a set of folders deeper into the hub for the sixth time since lunch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what’s up with Bambi over there?” He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gwen chuckled to herself and Tosh looked up from her soldering. “She’s just trying to make sure everything she needs to do is done before tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what’s happening tonight?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Some of her friends from her old home are visiting for the weekend so she’s meeting them as soon as her shift’s done.” Tosh clarified. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that why she’s so dressed up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sort of.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gwen grinned to herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He side eyed her carefully. “What do you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s meeting with someone new too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As in?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Someone she’s been talking to for a while and wants to impress.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He raised an eyebrow. “I thought she wasn’t dating.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just a first meeting. It’s exciting though, isn’t it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll take your word for it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh come on, you’re not even a tiny bit interested in who this is?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Unless they’re trying to eat people or take over the world, no.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is Melody we’re talking about here, they just could be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked her in the eye before sighing. “Get me a name and I can get you a psych report by six.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So have you decided on a name for each of them?” Ianto asked as he tipped a small box of fish into the fishers tank. Both creatures scurried across from their basking rock and dived into their tank, ready for their lunch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack chuckled at them as they ran off from where he was sat on the sand. “That one’s Raspberry and that one’s Peaches.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought you’d go for more human names but they suit them.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack had picked up the habit of joining Ianto whenever he went to feed the fishers. It was just a nice ritual to break up the day. Plus it gave him the chance to check up on how Ianto was doing mentally. As much trauma as he had connected to Torchwood one he’d always felt quite positive about his time there before it fell. That had all been thrown into question and he’d taken it hard. Was he really who he thought he was if he couldn’t even trust his own memory? Had his love for Lisa been natural or set up? How many of his other memories been tampered with? It had been hard to process, let alone deal with. As much as Jack had tried to support him and assure him that who he was now was all that mattered it was still weighing heavily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you spoken to Mel about trying to unravel more memories?” He asked, finally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ianto sighed and placed the box down, watching Raspberry and Peaches swim in perfectly synchronised circles as they ate. “Not yet. I don’t know if there’s even anything she can do. She said so many of my memories are gone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You could still ask. Even if it’s just to confirm that the memories you do have are real.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The peace of mind would be nice… But I don’t want to bother her today. She’s so excited about seeing her friends, I don’t want her stuck thinking about me and how it went last time too much to have fun… Maybe on Monday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you’re sure… Want to go out this weekend? Take your mind off things?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ianto nodded. “Sounds good… When was the last time I went outside?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Six days ago when you went out to pick up lunch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t we go and scare off those weevils in-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was two weeks ago.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh god, I really have been out of it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack nodded, trying not to bring up just </span>
  <b>how</b>
  <span> out of it Ianto had been. “Does that mean you might be up for sending everyone home early?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wh-... Oh. Yes… Yes I am.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Melody stopped by Gwen as she was making her way out, bag hung from her shoulder. “Um… Does my makeup look ok?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look great. Where are you meeting your friends?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just outside.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s ok. I have plausible deniability.” She held up a handful of leaflets. “Plus they know I prefer to wait in quiet places.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gwen smiled softly. “Just have fun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will.” She bounced before heading out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as she was out of sight Gwen hopped up and to Toshikos desk, who was already bringing up the camera feed. Owen had told himself he wasn’t going to get involved but he couldn’t help but wander over to join them. Driven mostly by curiosity. They watched as Mel made her way out and waved at a group of people already waiting for her. They looked like a typical group of twentysomethings with a love of the colour black. Three men and two women. The screen lit up with its usual identification pop up boxes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t expect her to hang around with the goth crowd.” Gwen mused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tosh chuckled. “Haven’t you ever heard what she listens to on her walk to work?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounded like heavy metal to me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She just wears so much pink.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen rested his arm on the back of Tosh’s chair. “I think they call it pastel goth or something. Makes you feel old, doesn’t it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A lot of teenagers wore that kind of thing when I was a teenager. I used to see them in the magazines my friends sent me from Japan.” The tech smiled fondly at the memory. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So which one’s this new love interest then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Interested now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I blame you two.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gwen pointed to one of the figures. “I think it’s her. Her name’s Heather.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can double check.” Tosh clicked on one of the boxes, maximising it, to show a bare bones profile. “Heather Brookhill, twenty six, mother and father both still alive and together, two brothers and one sister, all born at Birmingham general hospital. No criminal record, studied business, no warning signs here.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen shook his head. “Course not on the surface. Her ex didn’t have much on the surface, didn’t stop her from being a sociopath.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Isn’t that where you step in?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Send over her profile. I’ll get started.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get started on what?” Jack asked, having crept up on the group as their attention was held by the screen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Christ Harkness, don’t do that!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Someone’s jumpy.” He grinned as Owen walked back to his desk. “I didn’t know we had any open cases right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gwen pointed to the screen. “We were just making sure Mels new love interest wasn’t going to be as… well…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stabby?” Ianto offered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well yes.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If she knew you were doing this she’d be very upset.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re just looking out for her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack crossed his arms. “Usually I’d tell you to leave her alone but, with her history, just make sure all of her friends are human and aren't carrying alien technology. Then you can take the rest of the evening off.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Melody hadn’t felt this happy in a while. She’d left so quickly that she’d barely had the chance to tell them all why. Simon, the tallest of the group, took a sketchbook from his bag and offered it to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You left this at mine. I didn’t look through it or anything. Your mum asked us to bring some of your other stuff too.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took the book and slipped it into her own bag. “Thanks. Sorry I didn’t have time to really grab everything or even give you warning.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I completely understand. You needed to get out of there. I’m sorry we didn’t step in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t know how bad it had gotten. Anyway, I’m in a better place now. She’s in prison and I’ve got my life back.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look better. Even after the mugging and everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled brightly. “Thanks.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stopped as the rest of the group had paused to look at something in the sky. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark pointed upward. “I didn’t think we were due a meteor shower or anything.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lights flickered in the sky above, too still to be fireworks and it was too early for stars. They were like sparks flickering below cloud level. Mel took a picture and sent it to Tosh, just in case. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It could be some kind of lightning. Why don’t we get set up at mine and then we can think about dinner, yea?” She offered, acting as if it was perfectly normal to be seeing lights in the sky. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s easy to forget you’re used to weird stuff, but if you say so. Do you want to go in mine or Nathans car?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tosh checked the rift monitor but it wasn’t showing anything too alarming. Her sensors had detected something breaking up in the atmosphere but, due to all the space junk humanity had left up there, it wasn’t unusual either. She sent a message back just saying not to worry about it and to have a good weekend. Owen had finished the short background checks quickly and found nothing to worry about. The rest of the psych evaluation he could do from home which he was sure would make Jack happy. They’d all noticed how distant Ianto had been for the last month and the change in him from that morning. Owen had been close to pulling him aside and telling him he needed to accept some help, but the upturn of his mood had lessened the need. Hopefully a night off with Jack would bring him back to his senses. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re still worried, aren’t you?” Tosh said from the passenger seat on the way back to Owens flat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shrugged. “A bit. He’s a bit more himself now, so who knows.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure he’ll be fine. Jack’s been keeping a close eye on him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t usually end well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll be fine. We should just enjoy a couple of days off. Gwen said she’s going to try and convince Rhys to have dinner somewhere nice tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Subtle Tosh.” He chuckled. “You could just ask.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Last time I did the world nearly ended. I’m trying to work around it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fair enough. It’s your idea so you get to choose where we go.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t get to complain about where we end up if you leave it all up to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I promise nothing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sat around the living room with way too much pizza made Mel feel like nothing had changed. She’d spent so many weekends just having fun and being social. It was the one thing she missed about her old home. Heather had even settled into the group seamlessly. She’d always been great to chat to online so it wasn’t a shock but new people joining a set group could be uncomfortable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Trust you to move to the urban legend capital of Wales.” Ailsa chuckled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mel shrugged. “Why not? If I’m going to be surrounded by strange stuff I may as well be somewhere it happens anyway.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So there’s something I’ve wanted to ask about as you’re here.” Heather began, putting down the small box of garlic bread she had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Torchwood.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mel could feel herself almost choke, but she kept her cool on the surface. “Umm…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, lots of people say that word but every time I find anything about it online it gets removed. As you live here I wondered if you’d heard anything. Stories and stuff.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, it sounds familiar but I haven’t heard anything in particular. I assumed they were just a security business, or something, that’s really sensitive about their web presence. I mean I had to sign an NDA for my job, so there are plenty of businesses that could have contracts that don’t let them be public.” She hoped that would be believable enough. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about the coat man?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This mysterious figure sometimes spotted on rooftops, way higher than any sane person would climb to. He wears a long coat and witnesses say he’s seen just before disasters. Like the mothman but more human shaped.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t help but laugh, thinking of Jacks face when he heard that he’d become Cardiffs own cryptid. “Strange things that happen aren’t that dramatic, or out in the open, otherwise they wouldn’t be strange.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then what strange things have followed you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I got this place so cheap because it was haunted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, that was this place? I saw about all the bodies they found in the basement.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yep. They were found not too long after I moved in. Other than that, getting mugged, having a sudden unexplained power outage at my old place, my ex turning up and trying to kill my flatmate, plenty of other strange stuff.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t she go to prison?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea. Turned out she’d murdered someone. I’m glad I escaped when I did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If the pictures I’ve seen are anything to go by you can do so much better anyway.” She winked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Melody went bright red and grabbed her drink to hide her face a little. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>PC Davidson shook his head. He’d pulled over after seeing a couple of cars stopped for no apparent reason. They weren’t parked, just stopped. On the pathway lay a young woman, the front of her shirt stained red with blood. Her face was pure white and she was cold. She’d been dead for a while and dumped right on the street. He’d quickly dispersed the crowd and taped the area off before backup arrived. This was going to be one of those strange cases, he just knew it.  </span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A fever you can't shake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gwen hooked her arm around Rhys’s as they walked away from the pub. They’d only had one drink, but that wasn’t the point. They just wanted to spend some time together that wasn’t just at home. It had been a nice change of scenery. Even better as the sky was now clear of the clouds that had hung heavy over the city only hours before. It was even starting to warm up a little, going from heavy coat weather to light jacket weather, so Gwen had her coat tied around her hips by the sleeves. </p><p>“It was just nice to see him with that spark back in his eyes, you know? He hasn’t been that down since the beacons.” She said, leaning into his arm. </p><p>“Can’t blame the poor lad. I can’t imagine having a whole chunk of my life messed with like that. It could take years to cope with something like that.”</p><p>“Jack even offered to retcon it away so he wasn’t even aware, but Melody said that either wouldn’t work or just reinforce the damage.” </p><p>“But he’s getting better, that’s all that matters.” He smiled sympathetically. </p><p>They were both suddenly jostled as a man in a black hoodie barged past, slamming into Rhys’s free arm hard. </p><p>“Oi! The fuck you playing at?!” He shouted after the figure who was long gone. </p><p>Gwen steadied him. “What a twat. You alright sweetheart?”</p><p>“Yea. Just bruised I think.” </p><p>“Let me have a look.”</p><p>“It’s fine.”</p><p>“Don’t be silly.”</p><p>“Really, it’s nothing.” He winced, destroying any hope of him winning that argument.</p><p>She rolled her eyes and gently maneuvered around him to see his arm as he slipped off his jacket. A thin line of blood ran down from a shallow cut. “Shit. Looks like he caught you with something.”</p><p>“Probably one of those stupid studs kids put on their clothes.”</p><p>“Let’s get home and get it cleaned up. I wish I’d seen his face.” </p><p>“You and me both. Bloody hoodies.” </p><p>She took a pack of tissues from her bag and placed it against the cut. “Just hold that there.” </p><p>“Yes nurse Cooper.” He smirked. </p><p>She chuckled. “Oh shush.” </p><p>The walk home wasn’t long so they walked swiftly home. Rhys sunk down into the sofa as soon as he was back in the door, examining the cut that had swollen nastily. Gwen grabbed the first aid kit from the kitchen and sat next to him, wincing at the damage. </p><p>“Don’t think it’s already infected do you?” He asked as she unwrapped one of the antibacterial pads. </p><p>She carefully began cleaning his arm. “Probably not. I don’t think what he caught you with was that sharp so it’s more of a tear than a cut. Stop flinching away.” </p><p>“I can’t help it.” He tried to sit still but it really did burn. </p><p>“If you’re good I’ll see if we have a sticker for you.” </p><p>“Oh come on, this is at least worth a lolly pop.” </p><p>Once the cut was clean she pressed a dressing over it. Working for Torchwood she’d learned to stock up on the larger dressings. “There we go. If it’s still looking nasty in the morning we can see if the doctor’ll see you.” </p><p>“Doctors is closed on Saturday.” </p><p>“Bugger. Well, if all else fails I’ll call Owen and try not to smack him when he starts making snarky remarks.” </p><p>“Try.”</p><p>“Try really really hard.” </p><p> </p><p>By the morning Rhys wasn’t looking much better. In fact he looked like he had a low running fever. Gwen pressed the back of her hand to his forehead. </p><p>“You’re a bit warm.”</p><p>He opened one eye. “I feel bloody freezing.”</p><p>She carefully peeled back the duvet to look at his arm and saw the redness had spread from under the dressing. </p><p>“Is it bad?”</p><p>“Just keep still, ok?” She gently pulled away one side of the dressing, seeing that the bleeding hadn’t fully stopped, the wound looking incredibly angry and swelling down to his elbow. “Right, I’m calling Owen. Snarky remarks or not.” </p><p>He didn’t argue. Instead he just cocooned himself in the duvet.</p><p>She pulled on some comfortable clothing as the phone rang, held between her ear and her shoulder. </p><p>A gravelly sounding Owen answered. “It’s Saturday. The world’d better be ending.” </p><p>“Owen I need you to take a look at Rhys.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Someone scratched him last night and now his arm’s bright red and I think he’s got a fever. Please can you just check on him? The doctors is closed.” </p><p>He sighed. “Ok, ok. Give me ten minutes, but you owe me.” </p><p>The line went dead and Gwen dropped her phone onto the bed, putting on a teeshirt. “He’ll be round in ten. Do you want anything?” </p><p>Rhys barely looked up from the bundle of duvet.</p><p>“Sweetheart?”</p><p>“Something to stop the itching.” He mumbled.</p><p>“Itching?” </p><p>“My arm really itches.” </p><p>She pulled back the blankets to see him scratching at the cut, blood running down from where his nails dug into his skin. She pulled his hand away and ran to get the first aid kit. She could at least clean it and hopefully ease the itching a bit. Rhys barely reacted when she brushed the antiseptic pad over it. It didn’t look infected per se but it was very swollen and hot. She redressed it and wrapped a bandage around his arm so he couldn’t scratch. She cracked a cold pack to activate it and wrapped it in a spare pillowcase then placed it on his forehead. He sighed contentedly and settled down into the covers. </p><p>“Sorry… I know you were hoping for a lie in.” He mumbled. </p><p>She smiled softly. “At least I’m here for this. God knows what would happen if I’d rushed out at six like normal.”  </p><p> </p><p>Owen had thrown on a teeshirt and jeans before rushing out, glad he kept one of his smaller medical kits at home, for when he was on call and they didn’t have the SUV. It was rare but it happened. Tosh had asked him to keep her updated on what was going on and he hoped he could tell her it was nothing but his gut was telling him otherwise. He knocked on Gwens door and found that she was right there, looking worried and on edge. </p><p>“Thanks for this.” She said softly. </p><p>“Where is he?”</p><p>She led him to the bedroom where Rhys was looking like death warmed up. “The fever’s gotten worse and he says his arm itches.” </p><p>“Right, let’s take a look then.” He knelt next to the bed and peeled the bandage and dressing away, feeling the heat radiating off the mans skin. He hissed lightly. “You weren’t kidding. What did you say did this?”</p><p>“Some hoodie rammed into him. We thought maybe it was a stud or something that got caught.” </p><p>“Unless people are using claws for studs now I don’t think so.”</p><p>“A claw? It wasn’t a weevil.”</p><p>“Never said it was… It’s definitely got something stuck in there.” He swore for a moment he saw something move under the skin. </p><p>“I was sure I’d cleaned it properly last night.” </p><p>“I’m sure you d-” He was cut off by the fact that he definitely saw something move this time. “Gwen, I need you to help me get him into the car.”</p><p>“What? Is it that bad?”</p><p>“I think that scratch left something living behind.” He said, looking through his bag to see if he had even half of the tools necessary to deal with this on the move if necessary. </p><p>She helped Rhys sit up but as soon as she tried to get any further he grabbed his arm in pain. </p><p>“Fuck!” Rhys exclaimed. “Something’s moving! Something’s bloody moving!” </p><p>Owen gritted his teeth. “Ok, ok. Just lie down. If we have to deal with this here then we’ll deal with it.” He took a tourniquet, a set of gloves and a small vial of anaesthetic from the bag. “Rhys, mate, I’m going to numb out your arm a bit then stop whatever that is from travelling any further into your body. Not going to lie, this might hurt a bit.”</p><p>“Please just get it out.” The man whimpered, slowly descending into a full state of panic. </p><p>Loading a syringe Owen readied himself to deal with this creature getting spooked. It didn’t take long and he just managed to get the tourniquet tied tight enough to stop it when it moved. Gwen held Rhys’s free hand and tried her best to comfort him as he just braced through the pain. “It’s ok sweetheart.” She soothed, kissing him on the top of the head. </p><p>Getting the creature out would probably be easiest where it had entered and Owen hoped the thing would think the same way. It was lucky he had a scalpel in his kit as it hadn’t been restocked in a while. The blade slid through the already damaged skin and the creature struck, slender, translucent, tentacles wrapping around the blade. He took the chance and grabbed it, sliding what looked like a squid of some kind free. It thrashed in his grasp, trying to bite him with its tiny beak. He threw it to the floor and grabbed the discarded syringe, stabbing the needle through the creatures head, if it could be called that. It squealed then fell still. Cleaning and closing the wound was the easy bit and after taking a blood sample to check for any remaining parasites he could try and find out what that thing really was. </p><p>“What was that?” Gwen asked, watching Owen finish the stitches. </p><p>He shrugged. “Don’t know, but it looks like a squid.”</p><p>“A space squid, with claws?”</p><p>“From what you described I don’t think those were just claws. More like ovipositors.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“A thing that injects eggs.”</p><p>“Right.” She tried not to feel nauseous. “So what now?”</p><p>“I’m going to take the squid back to the hub. I’ll drop off a course of antibiotics later. For now give him a couple of paracetamol and try and get him to drink some water. If he gets any worse or the fever doesn't break then call me.”</p><p>“Will do. I don’t even know how this happened. It was just so fast.”</p><p>“That’s why I bloody hate parasites. Half of the time you don’t know they’re there until they’ve settled in for the long haul.” He finished covering the stitches and wrapped up the dead parasite for transport. “Rhys, no lifting anything heavy, keep it clean and dry, and if a squid asks you on a date say no.” </p><p>Rhys chuckled, partially just happy to no longer be in pain. </p><p> </p><p>Melody crept between the camp beds that had taken over her living room to reach the kitchen and flicked on the kettle. She’d slept pretty well, which was admittedly rare, but she still needed her morning coffee. </p><p>“Morning.” Heather yawned, rubbing her eyes. </p><p>She jumped. “Oh, morning. Would you like a coffee?”</p><p>“Sure. Sounds good.”</p><p>“Sorry, it’s just instant.”</p><p>“That’s fine with me. I’m not fussy about coffee. You know you’re shorter than I imagined. It’s not a bad thing.” She realised that some people might be sensitive about their height a few words too late. </p><p>Melody laughed softly. “That’s what most people think. It sucks at things like theme parks and pubs assume I’m a lot younger than I am, but I don’t have to duck when there are tree branches hanging over the path, so that’s something.”</p><p>“Gotta find the positives in life.  Your place is so cute. I know you can’t talk about it but your job must be taking care of you.”</p><p>“They’ve been great. I have a good boss.”The kettle clicked and Melody filled her mug.</p><p>Heather leaned against the counter. “Sorry, I’m not great at small talk offline.”</p><p>“Me either.” She chuckled as she blew the steam from her coffee. </p><p>“I’m in good company then… I like your artwork. I didn’t look through the books or anything but one of them fell open.”</p><p>She blushed brightly. “Thanks. Which one did you see?” </p><p>“It was this cthulhu looking monster with a halo.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Oh.” The colour drained from her face. “I try not to think about that one.”</p><p>Heather frowned. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up anything bad.”</p><p>“No. It’s not your fault. That’s just my sleep paralysis demon I suppose. I thought drawing it would get it out of my head but it didn’t really work.”</p><p>“I’m just putting my foot in my mouth a lot this morning. Sorry.”</p><p>“Being as everyone’s asleep you can hang out in my room and I’ll show you some of my other sketches if you like.”</p><p>“That sounds good.”</p><p> </p><p>Jack leaned against the med bay wall, arms crossed, watching Owen work. He didn’t like being interrupted but he knew it was necessary. So much for a day off. </p><p>Ianto handed Jack his morning coffee. “Tosh said she’s on her way. What was the parasite?” </p><p>“I have an idea, but I really hope I’m wrong.” Jack sipped his coffee and relaxed a little, appreciating the warmth that had been stolen when he was forced to get out of bed. He nodded a thank you to Ianto who smiled before walking off to answer a phone ringing from the main area of the hub.</p><p>Owen had pretty much taken apart the small creature and finally looked up from it. “Well, Rhys is lucky Gwen called me when she did. Any longer and this little bastard would have made too much toxic mucus to fight off. Thankfully it didn’t leave any brothers or sisters behind so he’s in the clear, but mummy is still out and running around.”</p><p>“Was he targeted?” Asked Jack, moving to lean on the walkway guardrail. </p><p>“No. I think it was accidental. If it wanted to protect its egg it would have stabbed him, not slashed him. The deeper it’s implanted the safer it would be. This one’s premature too, the bones that make up its skull are still very soft. Probably got agitated when Gwen cleaned the wound this morning.”</p><p>“One question, does it have a halo?” </p><p>“A halo?”</p><p>“A bio-luminescent ring that runs over its head like a halo.”</p><p>“Yea… Jack, what do you know?”</p><p>He cringed at the confirmation of his suspicions. “It’s a Cephlodian. It was an adult one that attacked Melody as a kid. If there’s one loose in the city we could have a big problem.” </p><p>“Not to make this worse, but Gwen just called and said her friend Andy’s at the coroners office with a body they picked up last night. It had holes pierced between each of its ribs.” Ianto said from the archway. </p><p>“So much for a day off.”            </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Harvest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Andy knew he was pushing his luck getting this involved in such a serious case but he knew that’s what Gwen would have done. Anyway, he was the first officer on scene. That’s how he was rationalising it anyway. He looked up to see two figures approaching and he recognised both. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks Gwen.” He muttered to himself, wishing she’d sent someone who’d be a bit nicer about the whole thing. “Owen, captain Harkness, sorry to drag you out on a weekend.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack smiled. “I always prefer to spend my weekends with a man in uniform.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok, too tired for this, where’s the body?” Owen interrupted, in no mood for Jacks usual banter after what had happened earlier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andy gestured to a door. “Just through there. We still haven’t got a name for her but she looks like she’s only in her twenties.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen walked right in, as Jack hung back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Poor girl.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How was she found?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She was just dumped on the street. Already cold. Her clothes are in an evidence bag with her body but…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The shirt she was wearing wasn’t damaged. It was covered in blood but it’s like whoever stabbed her pulled up her top to do it. Kind of sick, you know?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Defensive wounds?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not exactly. It looked like her wrists had been tied though. Owen should be able to tell you all this. Sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know he can, but as you were on the scene I want your opinion.” Jacks eyes were unusually cold and Andy would have spilled all of his secrets at that very moment, if he had any.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He collected his thoughts. “If you want my opinion… She was dumped a while after being killed, but she was placed so I don’t think it was a one man job. They’d need a van or some kind of larger vehicle to hide what they were doing until they could escape. They’d have to be organised… Confident… She was dumped in the middle of the street so they wanted her to be found.” The idea took a moment to sink in, but when it did it made his stomach turn. “Bloody hell.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you Andy.” Jacks eyes had softened again, almost making him look like a different person. Certainly a more comforting one than the borderline emotionless one he’d been speaking to moments before. It was a look he’d never seen before and honestly never wanted to see again. The captain disappeared through the door before Andy realised Jack had called him by his first name, and a shortened version at that. The most he usually got was officer. If the situation wasn’t so disturbing he’d probably be happy about it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Owen glanced up as Jack joined him in the brightly lit room. “Get anything useful?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes and no. Leave it with me. What have you found?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” He gestured to the deep gouges between each of the womans ribs. “The parasites didn’t crawl out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re still inside?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’ve been surgically removed. Carefully as well. Looks like whoever did it didn’t want to disturb the eggs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Last time I checked cephlodians didn’t remove the eggs from their hosts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looks like we’ve got human intervention then.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Makes sense. Andy said he suspected she’d been dropped out in the open intentionally by an organised group.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Think someone’s making a point?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it’s a test. Best way to bring a whole crowd for the cephlodian to choose its next target. They’re picky about who they use to incubate their young.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what, they let it pick who it wants to stab, kidnap them to make it easier then harvest the eggs?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“From the looks of it, yea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Tosh is tracking the one that scratched Rhys last night so we should have a bit more information on it soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope we can get this wrapped up before monday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s going to find out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Being told about it and seeing it are two very different things.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Heather leaned closer to look at the sketch. “So, what’s this one?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A weevil. It’s a nickname because they live hidden underneath cities and you can’t get rid of them.” Melody replied, silently critiquing her own work. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wish my imagination was this good. Anything beyond an animal but in a different colour and I’m stumped.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not that tough when you see strange stuff all the time anyway.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She closed the book, keeping her hand on top of it. “God, I’m crap at this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… I know you got out of a nasty relationship not long ago and feel free to tell me to get lost but… Do you want to get a coffee or something?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you asking me out on a date?” Mel blushed brightly, seriously hoping she wasn’t wrong somehow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea… We’ve been chatting for ages and I thought that I was just happy about having a new friend but since I got here… I just really like you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. I’d love to go on a date with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heather beamed, her cheeks flushed. “We were thinking of going to the cinema tonight. We could sit together and I promise I’ll pay. I know it’s still a group thing but it could still be fun.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to pay.” She giggled. “As long as it’s a quiet showing I’m in.” A knock at the bedroom door startled them both. “Come in.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ailsa peeked her head around the door. “Oh, there you are. We wondered where you guys were. We were thinking of heading out to get breakfast.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure. Let me put these away and get changed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heather smiled and headed for the door. “Same.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tosh watched the hooded figure that had slashed Rhys’s arm on the streets CCTV camera for the third time. It had sprinted away, only stopping when it found a place to hide. It spent the night hidden away, only venturing out to watch a young woman as she walked by. She paused the footage and backtracked to see where the alien had come from exactly. An hour before it had emerged from a black van and immediately made a run for it. The licence plate of the van had been blurred out so it couldn’t be tracked, even with Torchwoods advanced technology. It was frustrating, especially as she watched, once the van drove away, the womans body laying on the pathway abandoned until someone was driving by and stopped to see what was going on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ianto placed a plate of biscuits on her desk next to her coffee cup. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Any luck?” He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took a biscuit. “Not really, unless knowing they used a nondescript black van with modified licence plates is helpful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, not particularly. Any other cameras that could show the drivers face?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not that I’ve found. They were extremely careful.” She took a bite of her biscuit and leaned back in her chair. “I lost track of them before they hit a petrol station or anything. I’ve been keeping tabs on the cephlodian but it’s gone to ground for now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shouldn’t we be going to pick it up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s hiding out in the middle of an empty shop. There’s no way we could keep it hidden from the general public. As soon as it gets dark we should be able to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope it doesn’t get out before then.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it does I’ll make sure we know exactly where it goes. I’m glad it decided to hide in a busy area just for the surveillance.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always a plus point.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s nice to hear you talking again. You’ve been so quiet for the past month.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed and pulled over a chair. “Sorry. I’ve been in my head more than I thought.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We were worried. I asked Melody if she could help but she said there wasn’t anything she could do without your consent, and she didn’t want to make things worse by asking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And here I was not wanting to bother her with it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think she’d prefer it if you did.” She rested her hand over his. “If you need to talk you know where I am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled softly. “Thanks… I should go and make sure everything’s clear if Owen’s bringing back a body.”   </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok. Oh and Ianto?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should button up the top button of your shirt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He raised his hand to the side of his neck, immediately knowing why, covering a love bite that sat just above his shoulder. “Damn it Jack.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Melody sunk into one of the soft chairs at Iantos favourite coffee shop. He liked to go in at least once a month and that was more than enough of a recommendation for her. She’d found a quiet corner for them to hang out in with a nice view of the window. Walking down the street she swore she heard someone in the midst of either an anxiety attack or some kind of escape attempt from something awful. Not that she could pinpoint exactly where from. She had time, but the middle of the day was so noisy it was hard to discern. Maybe if she could work it out she could text Andy or Gwen. They’d be more knowledgeable about what to do than her. Mark placed her drink in front of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?” He asked, sitting in his own chair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm? Nothing. Just the usual chatter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t look too convinced.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shrugged. “I can’t pin down where it’s coming from. I’d say next door, but it’s closed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t mean there isn’t someone in there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“True.” She sipped her second coffee of the day, hoping she wouldn’t be too hyper by the afternoon. “Maybe after I’ll creep off to listen out.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you decided if you wanted to tell Heather about your little secret?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it’s a bit soon for that. If this weekend goes well then maybe.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was wondering, why did you light about knowing about the coat man?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s complicated.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait…” He took a bite of his croissant. “You found him, didn’t you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shhhhh. Someone could hear you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You did! What’s he like? Still as handsome?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She giggled. “Yes, but I can’t talk about it. Anyway, you’re engaged.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can still look.” He sipped his coffee. “Though I might have to ask if we can bring this into the relationship too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure the coffee won’t mind joining you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the group joined but Mel couldn’t ignore the one mind that rose above the others. When she finished her drink she pretended to get a text and excused herself, saying she wouldn’t be long. She walked around the shops to the back, out of sight of the general public. She perched herself on the wall and tried to pinpoint the mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello?” She said into their mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a startled mess of thoughts there was a reply. “Who’s there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I heard you in a panic and I want to help. I’m Melody, what’s your name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… They call me Sven… Where are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Outside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh… Please don’t tell anyone I’m here. I don’t want to go back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Back where?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s a loud place that moves. I don’t want to do the things they make me do… They bring screaming humans to me and I just want them to leave me alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Screaming humans? You’re not human?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I don’t know what I am but I know I’m not human. That’s what they say… That’s what they always said. They think I don’t understand their words.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry… Can I get some good people to help you? They won’t make you deal with screaming humans, I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a long pause as a million scenarios ran through its head. “I don’t have another choice. Ok. I trust you Melody.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are there others that need help?” She texted Jack the address and what was going on as far as she could tell. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are older ones like me… But they want to hunt the humans. When the good people come they should be careful. I don’t want to hurt them accidentally.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll tell them that. Are you safe in there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think so. I’m good at hiding but they always find me. I think they put a sharp thing in my neck so they know where I am all the time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A tracking device?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s what they said.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok. You’re going to be alright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope so.” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Night out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jack carefully opened the back door to the closed off store, shining a torch around the storeroom. As much as he wanted to believe that this being would be friendly like Melody had told him, but he couldn’t rule out that she’d been fooled somehow. Maybe it was cynicism but he’d rather be a cynic than have his head caved in because he was wrong. He’d get up again, sure, but it still hurt. Owen was covering him as they walked into the building. Everything was still and silent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello? Sven?” The captain called, hoping his pronunciation was correct. It was hard to tell over text. There was a small gurgling whimper in reply. “Melody sent us. We’re here to help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something moved just beyond the door leading to the shop floor. Both men made their way over and pushed the door open, shining their torches inside. A figure, dressed in black, cowered from the light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span> It was a young cephlodian, barely breeding age, its halo and bait light removed presumably to hide its identity. The creature was shaking in fear. The operatives glanced at each other, realising what a bad state this creature was in. Jack holstered his weapon and crouched down to be on eye level with Sven. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey there. It’s ok, I’m not going to hurt you. Are you Sven?” He asked softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sven blinked his dark, tired, eyes. “Melody… Said you help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea. I’m Jack and this is Owen. How did you end up here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pointed to a window that had been left ajar. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I mean how did you get to Earth? The planet we’re on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Born here… Others like me gone now… They sold off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t look that old so it makes sense. Who’s chasing you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Egg takers. Send us out to find egg hatcher. Take egg hatcher… Don’t want, but egg takers hurt us.” He scratched at the back of his neck with a bundle of tentacles. “Always find us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it ok if Owen looks at the back of your neck?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He paused the meshed his tentacles together in front of him and turned to show his neck. There was a line of stitches running down his thin skin to hold a straight incision, a number seven branded next to it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen examined it as best he could under torchlight. “There’s definitely a tracking device here. I can remove it if you let me give you something to stop any pain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not hurt?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bit of a pinch but other than that, no.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If egg takers not find me, Owen can take pain away.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sven calmed and let Owen carefully remove the tracking device, switching it off before wrapping it up to give to Tosh when they got back. He took the time to clean the wound and stitch it up neatly as the old stitches had been rushed and messy. This way they would pull less and be a lot more comfortable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There you go. Don’t scratch it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will try not to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then we should try and get out of here. If they’re tracking you they’re going to realise they don’t know where you are and they’re going to want to check it out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go with you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mel didn’t get a message back but she assumed the voice would be helped. Most of the rest of the day she managed to relax again, putting her energy back into making the most of the time with her friends. They’d chosen the remake of ‘A nightmare on elm street’ to go and see together. They didn’t expect it to be good but it would be better than some romcom. The cinema was quiet as it was before the evening rush. Simon had gone with Ailsa and Mark to grab over priced snack food and iced drinks. Heather brought two small plastic, bicoloured, eggs over and held one out for Melody. The woman took it with a shy smile and popped it open, taking a little cartoon alien charm wearing a pink bow from it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heather held up her own, another alien but with a little space suit. “See, we match.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re so cute.” She hung the charm from her phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark chuckled to himself at their clumsy attempts at flirting. “Looks like we can go and get our seats.” He gestured to the rest of the group who had just paid for their food. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>During the film Melody intertwined her fingers with Heathers, barely paying attention to the movie. It had been a while since she'd spent any time this close with someone. Her fling with Gwen had been just physical and it had just been a night. This felt less rushed, more about romance than sex and it made her feel warm inside. She still had nerves about doing anything too intimate but she let herself enjoy the time she had. When it was over, much too soon in her opinion, they headed out and into the rain. It had been dry for too long. A cold wind whirled through the group, pulling away any warmth they’d saved. A new voice drifted over the air, but it wasn’t just a thought. Someone was screaming. Before she even considered what she was doing she started to run towards the sound, Heather, Simon and Nathan following. A figure dressed in black was hunched over the woman who had been screaming. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oi! The hell are you doing?!” Simon boomed, pulling himself to his full height in the hope that he could scare the bastard off without a physical fight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The figure turned for a moment and realised it was outnumbered. It let out a gurgling cry before making a run for it. Melody would have tried to stop it if the woman on the floor wasn’t clearly injured. The most disturbing part for her was that the womans mind wasn’t screaming out the cry of a band of hurt rabbits, it was just humming a weary groan. She knelt next to the woman, hitting the emergency sos on her phone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, we’re going to get you some help. Just stay with us.” She said, putting pressure on the open wound between the womans ribs. She was so engrossed in just trying to keep the poor woman alive as the rain beat down onto them that she didn’t even hear Nathan calling an ambulance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jack was ready for a full on fight when he skidded the SUV to a halt, but all he saw was a terrified group surrounding a body. Owen rushed over assuming the worst.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give her some space.” He commanded, pushing through. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Melody didn’t look up, all of her attention on stopping the woman from bleeding out. “We scared off what stabbed her but she’s been unresponsive the whole time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok.” He leaned close. “None human attacker?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, whispering. “Something’s moving under my hand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit!” He looked back as Jack was ushering people away, assuring them that Owen was a medic and not just some nutter who had barged through to poke the injured woman. “Jack! Over here!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The captain ran over. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mel’s got something under her hands. I need a container to put it in.” He’d already decided he needed to get Melody away from there, but they had to be very careful about it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack nodded and rushed back to the SUV. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen got to work stabilising the woman who was slipping away. If he could keep her going and remove what had been implanted then the paramedics could take over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What should I do?” Mel asked, shaking from both the adrenaline and the cold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You just keep your hands there, alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok. I didn’t see what did this very clearly. I wanted to stop it but I had to help her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You did the right thing.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack placed the box down next to Owen and opened the lid, ready to trap the thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, I need you to move your hands in a sec. After that, just go over to your friends, yea? We don’t want them getting curious and seeing something they shouldn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded wordlessly, eyes set on her hands, though it looked more like she was looking through her hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, before Owen gave the order for her to move. She did as she was told and backed off, pausing for only a second before running off to the rest of her group. They bombarded her with questions but all she could manage was that she wanted to go home and shower. They argued that they should stay to give a description of the attacker to the police, but she told them she’d already spoken to the ‘officer’ in the long coat.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Owen watched the ambulance drive away, lights and sirens blaring, as he rinsed the blood from his wrists where his gloves hadn’t quite covered. The parasite egg, half way through trying to hatch and significantly larger than the one left by Sven was safely sealed away in the box, hidden in the SUV. Jack sat in the drivers seat, rainwater dripping down his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was too close.” He said, leaning his head back on the headrest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen finished up and closed the passenger side door, locking out the cold. “You’ve got to tell her what’s going on. If we try and hide it from her she’s going to be even more upset when she does find out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want her to have to deal with this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This isn’t about what you want. You can’t protect her from this forever!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can try!” He snapped, catching himself almost immediately. “The chances of running into another one of these things is her lifetime are ridiculously low. She shouldn’t have to face this again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And neither should you, but shit happens, especially to us! And last time I checked she could take down an entire crowd of people with only her thoughts so it’s not like she’s defenceless.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not the point!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s exactly the point. Look, I know you’ve got this guilt complex about what happened to her but she doesn’t blame you, noone does.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do. I was the one who took too long to hunt the bastard down. I was the one who dug that damn thing out of her. If it wasn’t for me Torchwood would have never even known about her and she wouldn’t have had to deal with them constantly spying on her. If it wasn’t for me she could have had a normal childhood. I messed up and I’ve carried that on my shoulders for over a decade and just maybe if I can protect her from this I’ll be able to talk to her without envisioning that night all over again. It’s not about her blaming me! It’s about me blaming me! I’ve done a lot of things I regret in my life but …”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen sighed. “Jack. You had no choice. I know that doesn’t make it feel better and it doesn’t take what happened away, but you need to forgive yourself. Accept it happened and it was traumatic for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I shouldn’t be feeling sorry for myself. I wasn’t the one who got hurt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea, you were. Not physically, but doing something like that is seriously traumatic. I knew one of the A and E doctors, ex special forces bloke, was there when this little kid was brought in after a farming accident. That man had been in bombings, had a damn high kill count, but when he saw this little lad, can’t have been older than six, missing his right foot and screaming for his mum. He quit that night. Couldn’t take it anymore. Noone blamed him. When bad things happen to kids… It’s hard to separate yourself from. You know all this, I mean you’ve been through hell.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sat in silence, the rain pouring down the windscreen, blurring the view of the surrounding area. “I looked into her old councillors reports.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The cephlodian isn’t the only monster in her nightmares.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oi, you’re not a monster. Let her work through her trauma in her own way. The human mind isn’t so easy to untangle especially when something happens to you in your formative years. Haven’t you spoken to anyone about this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shook his head. “Ianto’s dealing with his own issues, he doesn’t need mine. Hell, you don’t need mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What I don’t need is you having a breakdown when we need you most. You need to get all this shit out of your head then come and talk at me. I can’t promise I won’t be a twat but I can promise I’ll give you someone to vent to.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks Owen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t go soft on me. Now let’s get back to the hub, I’m soaked and I think my face is going numb from the cold.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tosh had the tracking device wired up to her computer, using it to find where all the other devices were and hopefully the location of the “egg takers” as Sven had called them. The cephlodian was rather happy with his cell. It was only temporary while they found him either a safe house or a way back to his home planet, but Ianto had tried to make the space as comfortable as possible for him. The poor creature had never been given a blanket before, let alone a pillow, so the experience had been very uplifting for him. She checked on the video feed of him, finding him fast asleep, curled up in the blanket. It was almost cute. She clicked on the background window that had the tracking data analysis compiling. Two of the signals were moving, meaning they were most likely the other two aliens. The third was stationary and connected to a computer system, so it was most likely these peoples home base. The strange part was that the computer they were using was terribly outdated in comparison to the tracking devices themselves. They must have bought them on the black market or traded them for something else. Was there a trade in alien squid eggs? With how quickly they grew it was very much possible. The file they had on cephlodians was extensive and mostly written by Jack. He was never one for paperwork or keeping up with reports but he’d put a lot of effort into making sure Torchwood had everything they needed to deal with them. It wasn’t as if they were a species known for attempting invasions, in fact they were generally peaceful and didn’t like to leave their home planet. It was an ocean planet and their breeding habits usually involved choosing a large whale like mammal and catching it for the whole community to use as an incubation unit. It only happened once a year too, nothing like the free for all that was going on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She opened up the groups computer and copied over all of their files before bricking the machine. With a computer that old there was always the possibility it had just given up. Now she just needed to collect their contacts and emails and she should have a full idea of what their little business was.      </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Root of the issue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Melody awoke with a gasp and a jolt, her eyes scanning the dark room, a thin sheen of sweat covering her body. She’d gotten back, showered for longer than usual just to try and settle her thoughts, spent some time talking over what had happened with the others for their benefit, then clambered into bed. It’s not as if she could fully express how she was feeling to them and it hurt. She’d always been pretty open about the more unusual aspects of her life, but now there were things she simply couldn’t say. They wouldn’t understand. They couldn’t understand. She grabbed the bottle of water from her bedside table to try and settle her stomach, the pain from her nightmare slowly fading away. She scratched at the scar on her ribs, thinking of the woman from earlier. It was a coincidence, that’s all, a bloody awful coincidence. It had to be. With the sheer number of races, planets and time periods the chances of another of those aliens coming to Earth were impossibly low. No, it was just bad luck and worse timing. The clock showed that it was five twenty three in the morning, too early to get up on a Sunday. She swung her legs off the bed, turning on her bedside lamp, and made her way over to the wardrobe, grabbing her clothes for the next day. A soft knock on the door made her jump. She opened it, not thinking that she was only dressed in an oversized teeshirt and panties. Heather stood there, looking sleepy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You ok? I saw the light.” She said, rubbing her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mel blushed. “Sorry, did it wake you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s ok. I don’t sleep that long anyway. I just wanted to make sure you were ok, after what happened, you know?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea. I’m ok. Do you want to come in?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.” She stepped into the room and quietly closed the door. “Do you usually wake up at half five in the morning?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No… Sometimes… Depends what my brain is doing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I, um… I know our date didn’t exactly end the best way but before that I had fun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too.” She smiled softly, folding her chosen outfit over her arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heather perched on the ottoman that sat at the end of Mels bed. “We could do it again, if you want.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. Definitely.” She placed the outfit on the chest of draws and sat on the bed. “We could go out for dinner. I know of a few places that are good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned and leaned over onto the end of the bed. “It’s a shame I don’t live closer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can still talk online.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, but it’s not the same.” She tilted her head and studied Melodys silhouette, eyes falling on the bumps that ran down her spine. “I don’t mean to be insensitive or anything but… What happened to your back? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mels mind raced to cobble together a believable explanation. “It was an experimental treatment for a spinal injury… Sorry… I understand if it’s a bit-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you on about? That’s really cool.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Medical science. It’s incredible what they can do these days. Can I see?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She paused to consider it then lifted the back of her top, flinching as she felt fingers gently running down her spine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heather pulled her hand back. “Oh, sorry.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“N-no, it’s ok. I was just surprised.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She examined the implants closely. “Are they uncomfortable?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really. Maybe if I’m resting on a solid surface, but otherwise I can’t really feel them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re like you see in scifi films. Are you sure you’re not an android?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pretty sure.” She giggled, muffling her voice with her hand so not to wake anyone up. “Just, don’t mention it to anyone, ok?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oooh, a secret.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kind of, yea.” She turned, finding herself nose to nose with the other woman, lingering for a long moment before breathing “sorry.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gwen smiled as she climbed out of bed, looking back at her peacefully sleeping boyfriend. His fever had broken quickly the day before and by the evening he even had his appetite back. He opened one eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leaving already?” He mumbled, not quite awake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. “Afraid so. Will you be ok on your own?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Course I will. Just take care of yourself today. Don’t want you bringing home a squid of your own.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure you don’t want to hear the pitter patter of little tentacles?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He chuckled. “No thanks. Least I’ve got an idea of how it feels to give birth eh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I dare you to say that to any mother ever and not get a slap.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go on. You don’t want to be late for squid wrangling.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“God forbid.” She laughed, getting ready to go. It wasn’t exactly what she wanted to do on a Sunday morning but the idea of anyone else having to deal with one of the parasites disturbed her. She grabbed a sandwich on the way out of the door and headed for the hub. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ianto was waiting for her as she arrived.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ready to go?” He asked, smiling politely. “Jack’s gone with Owen to pick up the one labelled number four, so we’re in charge of catching number five.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are we sure there are only two?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are only two tracking devices active. Sven told me the other ones of breeding age were sold off because they were getting old.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sven?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The first one we brought in. He’s younger than the others and hates playing along with their little operation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does he know what they’re doing with the eggs?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No idea. He knows they take them but that’s it. Tosh is still working through what she grabbed from their computer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s taking this long?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s an old computer system and these people are apparently not very computer literate. She said her mother is better at managing a hard drive than them.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oof. Let’s go squid hunting then.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jack rolled out of the way of the cephlodians claws as it lashed out at him. This one was over six foot tall and strong, aggressive, nothing like Sven. He’d wanted to bring it in to question it but with how vicious it was that might not be possible. Keeping the creature contained was hard enough as it kept trying to get through the door. Owen had barricaded one door so it had turned its attention to the other. The house hadn’t been as empty as they’d hoped when they arrived. The homeowner, a man in his thirties, had already succumbed to his injuries, becoming a full clutch incubator. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack sprang up and punched the creature in the face, making it stagger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rubbed his knuckles, the aliens beak having cut into them. “Give up now and you can walk out of here alive. Trust me, you don’t want to find out what happens if you keep fighting.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cephlodian drooled out a yellowish sludge that may or may not have been blood. It looked up with its dark eyes and raised its hand, flipping him the bird. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack didn’t even have to move before the thing hit the floor, Owen having taken the shot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That could have gone better.” The captain sighed, nudging the body over with the tip of his boot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen placed his gun away. “I’m sure this guy agrees. Help me prop him up a sec.” He pulled the corpse into a sitting position.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Removing the eggs’ll make them hatch, but if I wrap the wounds with cling film until we get back to the hub then we won’t have to deal with them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack took over holding the man up. “So you plan to wrap him up like a leftover sandwich?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Got a better idea?” He walked to the kitchen and took a roll of clingfilm from the counter to wrap around the chest of the corpse. “I’ve been thinking, even if whoever they are removed the eggs so carefully they didn’t hatch, they’d still have to put them right in an incubator otherwise they’d die. They hatch when the body’s reached a certain temperature, if they aren’t disturbed before that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s about sixteen eggs per victim and this lot have gone on a bit of a breeding spree. You’d need a load of power just to keep the incubators going. It’d be somewhere out of the way to stop anyone hearing what they’re up to so the insulation’s going to be crap. That means even more power they’d be using. Why hasn’t the place been checked out by the police yet? They should be thinking it’s a weed farm or something, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Unless they bought something to power all of it when they got the tracking devices. They could have bought weapons too. Tosh said she’ll have a definitive location for us when we get back. She knows where the computer was but she wanted to be sure that was their base of operations.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do I get the feeling we’re going to end up doing another bloody dawn raid?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not leaving it that long.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t get reckless. That’s my job.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel like I’m on the wrong side of this conversation.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea, I’m the one using my head and I don’t like it.”  </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ianto surveyed the area, looking for any sign of the creature that was apparently there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are we sure it’s here?” He asked, looking over to Gwen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded and held up a PDA with the signal clear on the screen. “The tracking device is at least.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The building site was clear of people as they were off on Sunday apparently. That didn’t make it any easier to traverse but it meant they didn’t have to make up some reason for them to be there. The shell of a building was almost eerie as the wind blew through the plastic sheets covering what would eventually be windows. They rattled from above, accentuating the general silence of the area. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looks like it’s inside. Think they’ve installed the stairs yet?” She asked, approaching the open doorway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shrugged, “I sincerely hope not. I don’t want to have to climb up this thing today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me either. Let’s hope squid are afraid of heights.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they entered the dark skeleton of a building they saw that stairs had been installed but they only led to the beams that would eventually hold each floor. “There can’t be many places to hide then.” He switched on his torch and shone it around the room, showing only generators, equipment and materials for use on Monday morning. Each item cast long, dark, shadows across the floor. Gwen edged around to try and light up the areas lost in shadow. She just rounded the corner beside the staircase when she found herself thrown to the floor, reflexively guarding her face with her arms. She kicked at her attacker but couldn’t find a limb to target, her feet instead lost in a mass of tentacles. As fast as it had pounced it was pulled away, Ianto wrenching the creature away from her, using his torch to place over its neck so he didn’t get bitten. It’s beak dug into the plastic grip and it flailed its tentacles, wrapping them around each other and forming them into limbs. Gwen scrambled to her feet and pulled her gun. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop fighting!” She ordered, hoping it understood her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cephlodian hissed, spraying black ink into the air and wriggling free. It made a sprint for the exit before it was rugby tackled to the floor. Ianto jammed his taser into the back of its neck and only marginally hoped he hadn’t killed it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You ok?” He called back to Gwen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was trying to wipe the ink from her eyes. “I will be. Did you get it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea. There’s a hose outside, one sec.” He went to fetch it and turned on the tap. “Lean forward a bit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The water was cold but it was a bit of a relief after the tar-like mess had gripped to her skin. It rinsed away bit by bit, letting her see again. She wondered if she hadn’t blinked in time she would have had such an easy time regaining her vision. Blinking the water away she looked up at the concerned face of her friend. “I’m ok. Thanks. I think only a shower and a change of clothes’ll get rid of the rest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It didn’t scratch you, did it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. This jacket has protected me from weevil scratches before, I don’t think a squid’ll make a dent. Speaking of…” She looked past him to the body splayed out on the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ianto dropped the hose and walked over to the alien, checking for a pulse. Nothing. “Shit… Sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you sorry for? It attacked us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought the taser wouldn’t kill it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ianto-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you could have been killed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ianto-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need to-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ianto! I know you’ve been dealing with some stuff but it hasn’t affected your work. Why are you beating yourself up?” She squeezed his shoulder gently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed deeply. “I need to sort some things out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything I can help with?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“... I don’t even know who I really am anymore. I don’t know what memories are real so how do I know what else has been faked?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now you listen to me-” She held his face softly with both hands so he had to look her in the eye. “- You are Ianto Jones. You’re one of the kindest, strongest, people I know. No matter what in your past was real or whatever, right now you’re the same person you were before you found all this out. You’ll get through this sweetheart, I promise. And as soon as I don’t look like a drowned rat anymore we can sit down and try and work it out, ok?” </span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The altar</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tosh brought a map up on the meeting room screen. “The emails they’ve been sending say this is their base. It was a dairy farm at some point which is why the amount of electricity they’ve been using was never looked into.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you find out what they were doing with the eggs?” Asked Jack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Some they’ve been trading for technology to keep their operation running. A batch was send to a collector but they were all unviable ones that had been encased in resin for display. Others were sent to Osiris. I’m already tracking down their bases location using what I found.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And the ones they’re keeping?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They either keep them to make more, like Sven, or well… I’m not sure about the details but they seem to be collecting them for some kind of ritual.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ritual? So they’re a cult?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It seems like it, yes. What they believe sounds almost lovecraftian. They believe that by collecting the eggs created by their gods heralds they think they can bring that god into our world. They think they’ll be given some kind of sign when they’ve collected enough and begin this ritual. Any cephlodian that doesn’t produce a whole clutch of eggs is judged as being abandoned by their god and sold off… Well, their bones are sold off. The rest is eaten.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen rubbed his temples. “Please tell me they’re being fed to the dogs or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long have they been doing this?” Jack asked, crossing his arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The emails trace back two years. They originally gave cult members to be incubators, but then moved on to the homeless. They travelled rather far to remain unnoticed, offering free housing and food.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t sound like they were taking one person at a time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They weren’t. In January last year they brought over twenty people from London alone.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why dump a body out in the open like that now if they’ve been working under the radar up until this point?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was to make a point. They don’t speak of her by name but they say she was a member who wanted to leave. They believe those sacrificed will still be blessed by their god as long as they’re buried on sacred land.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How many are there and are they armed?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Twenty and yes, but mostly with knives and an old shotgun.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We take the eggs and we can hand the rest over to the police. Which building is used for storage?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pointed to a large barn. “This one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As long as no one’s in the building we can burn the place down and leave no trace of what was in there.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Melody waved as her friends drove away. It was bittersweet. She loved seeing them but it showed how much her life had changed that there was so much she just couldn’t talk about. She walked back to her silent flat, looking so empty now she was alone. She grabbed the last few pop cans and bottles to throw into the recycling and started a load of laundry. In the centre of the coffee table sat a stack of sketchbooks, the one on top being the oldest. She sunk into the sofa and picked it up, flicking through the pages. She found a picture of her ex she’d spent so long on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span> She’d been so proud of it but now it just made her stomach churn. She tore the page out and ripped it into little pieces, done with looking at anything to do with that woman. She flopped down on the sofa, the buzz of the weekend wearing off and letting her doubts and anxieties rear their ugly heads. It’s not like her date went well exactly but Heather didn’t act like she minded. Relationships were complicated. Maybe it was too soon for dating, no matter how much fun the morning had been. It had been less than a year since she’d left that whole mess after all. Maybe she could keep it casual? It wasn’t something she’d done before, not really. No, she didn’t want to think about it for now. She pulled her phone and sent a message to the work group chat: </span>
  <em>
    <span>My old friends just left and now I’m lonely. I hope you’re all having a good weekend. See you bright and early tomorrow. It’s Janets bath day so I’ll be busy around lunch time so could someone remind me to bring Raspberry and Peaches their extra treats before I go down there? Thanks. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She pulled herself up to make sure her swimming costume was ready. Janet would happily sit and let Ianto hose her down without an issue, but whenever Mel did it she insisted on splashing as much as possible. It was never aggressive, more like she was playing, but it didn’t change the fact that it left them both soaked and Melody a lot colder than she’d like. The weevil acted so strangely around her, always calm and almost curious about her very existence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The old dairy farm looked normal from the outside, other than the distinct lack of cows of course. A man dressed in typical attire for a farmer closed the side door of the barn behind him and headed to the main farmhouse. It looked much too small to house twenty people but that had never stopped a cult before. Gwen and Owen had been sent to check the other outbuildings, just in case there were more eggs hidden around the place while Jack and Ianto set the incendiary devices inside the barn. Ianto picked the old padlock that held the barns secondary door closed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You need to tell me where you learned how to do that some time.” Jack whispered, a smirk on his face as he watched for possible cult members. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like to have a large skill set.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t help but fall for that bad boy charm hidden under the perfectly pressed suit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lock clicked open and he tossed it aside. “I can hot-wire a car too.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack grinned and followed him closely as they sneaked inside. The building was filled with chest freezers, humming away like a hive of angry wasps, keeping hundreds if not thousands of eggs preserved. One side of the barn was still taken up by stalls. Each flat concrete pad enclosed with a metal gate, a number scribbled onto a sign on each one. Jack placed one of the explosive devices in what had been Svens pen. Ianto placed two more inside the freezers, wanting to make sure they didn’t escape destruction. Voices approaching made them both freeze in place for a moment. There was a ladder that led up to the hay loft nearby and they clambered up, flattening themselves to the floor as the door below opened. Two cult members, a woman in her mid forties and a man in his thirties, walked into the room, carrying a cool box between them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The outer building Gwen and Owen were sent to check gave off an unmistakable, rancid, oder. Something was rotting inside. Something big by how strong the stench was. Gwen pulled the collar of her top up over her nose as she reached for the door handle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ready?” She asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen shuddered. “Not really but do it anyway.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pushed the door open and braced herself as the smell got even worse. The buzzing of flies filled the air. There was an open pit dug in the centre of the barns floor. It was at least ten feet deep and it contained a mix of bones and rotting bodies. In one corner was a pile of old,dirty, clothing and bags. Likely the abandoned belongings of the people left in the pit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The police are going to have a field day with this.” Owen cringed at the stench that was making his eyes water. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gwen moved around the edge to check the other corners of the room. “I was thinking more about the press.” She examined a chain that was bolted to the wall. It was slightly rusted and had wear from some kind of lock holding it together for long periods of time. There were three others like it in a row and as there was no sign of any dogs she could guess what these had been used for. Owen suddenly pushed her around the side of what might have been a horse stall at some point. He shushed her in time for them to hear footsteps and the sound of dragging. Two of the cult members were dragging in a body, dropping it at the side of the pit to undress it. Logically they should stay silent and let the two cult members do what they needed to so they had no reason to alert the others, but it was hard to breathe with the stench of death swirling around them. By the sound of the cult members fractured chatter said they were having the same trouble. It came down to who had the stronger will. The cult members coughed and spluttered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t we cover this over yet? Bloody hell.” One complained. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other rolled his eyes. “And where would we dig another pit? It won’t be much longer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t sign up for this you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop complaining. It’ll be worth it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you really think it’ll work though?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why wouldn’t it? I know Dr James is a bit… over zealous but he’s always delivered on his promises.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s a creep if you ask me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oi, you don’t want to end up like Gillian, do you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t. He doesn’t get off on watching blokes get sacrificed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He doesn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He does. Hiding behind the altar can only do so much. I’m telling you, the man’s a pervert.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just go and throw these on the pile will you.” He handed over a bundle of clothing they’d taken from the corpse. “And be careful who you say that kind of thing to. I think the computer’s finally kicked the bucket which means we’ve lost our three breeders. Dr James’ll be on the warpath.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He might have everyone else scared of him but I looked into him. He wasn’t even a medical doctor, he was a vet. Only reason he’s any kind of leader is he found the first lot of eggs.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up and help me push her in.” They both heaved the body into the open pit before getting out of there, fast. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gwen nudged Owen in the arm. “Let’s see if we can find this altar of theirs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything to get out of here.”     </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ianto flattened himself to the old, dusty, wooden floor of the hay loft. The floor below just visible through the gaps in the floorboards. Both he and Jack were hoping the devices they’d already planted wouldn’t be spotted. The woman began taking eggs surrounded by a casing of flesh out of the cooler and placing them into one of the freezers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man holding the lid watched carefully. “I thought Dr James would want to use these to hatch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He has a clutch incubating in the altar room. You shouldn’t question his decisions. He was chosen for a reason.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um… Sorry… Yea.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Make yourself useful and head back to the house. The kitchen needs cleaning.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rolled his eyes behind her back and walked out. As soon as he was out of sight she took the last egg from the cool box and pulled it from its flesh coating, holding it up to the light. The tiny squid-like creature turned inside the egg, reacting to the warmth of the womans hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That moron thinks he knows the path to true immortality but we know differently, don’t we?” She cooed before swallowing the egg whole. Jack cringed. Ianto felt his stomach lurch slightly, horrible memories of human body parts being stored for consumption flashing in his mind. He closed his eyes and tried to push them away. Below them the woman grabbed the empty cool box and headed off back towards the house. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack sat up. “Well that was…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Disgusting.” Ianto groaned, looking pale. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He placed a firm hand on his partners arm. “You ok?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea… Just want to get out of here as soon as.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded and clambered down the ladder, getting back to planting the devices, Ianto climbing down after him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did she say they were trying to gain immortality?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea. Shame it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But how? They’re good at multiplying but as far as I can tell cephlodians are very much mortal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No idea.” He shrugged. “For some reason humans seem to automatically think immortality is something all none terrestrial races have by default.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I assume they think it’s needed for space travel.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That or they think all races have the same fear of death that they have.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You talk like you’re not one of us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who knows?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Owen. I’ve seen the medical file he made on you and you’re at least ninety nine percent human.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have to be so literal all the time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to do something to counteract your need for drama.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack couldn’t help but chuckle. “Never change.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A small building sat behind the main house, surrounded by trees. The residue of many long burned out candles lined the path towards it. The front door was locked with a heavy padlock. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen waved Gwen around to the side. “Found a window.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who’s going in first then?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gestured to give her a boost and smirked. “Ladies first.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I swear if something eats me in there I’m coming back to haunt you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea, I think your boyfriend’ll beat my head in before you get the chance.” He lifted her up to the slightly ajar window and she pulled herself through, into the darkness. “So what’s in there? … Gwen?... Gwen!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold your horses.” There was a slight thumping sound and the scrape of furniture being dragged before her face appeared in the window. “I swear that corpse smell followed us.” She held out her hand to help him up and through the gap. She’d pushed a table under the window so he didn’t have far to get down. The room was set out like a makeshift church, rows of benches sat in front of a main table. On closer inspection the altar had leather straps at each corner, worn down over multiple struggles to get free.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think the smell’s us.” He said, pointing to a chest freezer that wasn’t plugged in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t open it. I swear I’ll throw up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be a wimp. You’ve dealt with death before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes but advanced decomp on that scale is a bit much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not going to be as bad as the pit.” He grabbed the handle with one hand and held his shirt over his nose with the other then opened the lid. There was indeed a body inside, but it looked almost like it had deflated. Just skin hanging onto bones, but below that skin something moved.    </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Fire and flames</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tosh had the police standing by. As far as they knew the bomb squad were on the scene first and as soon as they were done they could go ahead and rush in. She was just waiting for Jack to give her the go ahead. A new login pulled her attention. It was from Mels laptop. She swiftly set the system to tell her that it was down for maintenance so there was no way she could stumble across the cephlodian file. It was a little underhanded but it was better than the alternative when she couldn’t really leave her desk. A chat box opened. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Melody: Everything ok? I thought you were all having the weekend off.</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
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  <em>
    <span>Toshiko: Just a routine backup. How’s your weekend been going?</span>
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  <em>
    <span>Toshiko: I mean I know last night was rough. Sorry.</span>
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  <em>
    <span>Melody: It’s been ok actually. They talked it over and they’re fine. We didn’t come from the best neighbourhoods so it wasn’t as much of a shock. </span>
  </em>
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    <span>
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  <em>
    <span>Toshiko: What about you?</span>
  </em>
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  <em>
    <span>Toshiko: Mel? </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Melody: Yea. I’m ok. Had a bit of a rough night sleeping but that’s all. I thought I’d get some work done but it looks like my timing was all kinds of off. </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
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  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Toshiko: You should take the chance to relax. </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Melody: I suppose. My friends brought my old sketch books from home. Want to see something from one?</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Toshiko: Go ahead. </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Melody: [ sketch.jpg sent ] </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>
      
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Toshiko: Is that Jack?</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Melody: Yep. I drew this when I was 17. </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Toshiko: That’s really good. Can you bring the book in with you tomorrow?</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Melody: Sure. I told Ianto I’d show him anyway. How’s he been today, if you’ve seen him.</span>
  </em>
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    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Toshiko: He’s still processing things. I think he could do with you talking to him. </span>
  </em>
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    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
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  <em>
    <span>Melody: Of course. I’ll make sure I can talk with him asap. Is there anything you want for tomorrow? I’m lonely so I’ll probably end up baking. :P</span>
  </em>
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  <em>
    <span>Toshiko: Surprise me. Got to go. See you tomorrow.</span>
  </em>
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  <em></em>
  <span>Melody: See you tomorrow. ^_^</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tosh smiled to herself, glad that the night before hadn’t completely ruined the weekend. Plus she could be sure that Mel would get Ianto to talk things through. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ready to let the police take over?” Jack asked over comms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She glanced at the screen. “Whenever you are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re heading up to the other side of the farm to meet up with Gwen and Owen so we shouldn’t get in their way.” A very loud explosion hissed through. “And the eggs aren’t going to be a problem anymore.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sending them now. I’m close to finding the Osiris base, but it’s going to be heavily guarded.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can work on it when I get back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be careful out there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Worried about me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t want to miss having cake tomorrow do you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In the mood for baking?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not but Melody is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll look forward to it.”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Owen closed the lid of the freezer as the explosion reverberated through the trees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What should we do about them?” Gwen asked. “I mean they’re a bit more developed than the eggs. Do we take them back or..”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honestly, they’re better off if I just plug this thing in and let them freeze.”   </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is there even a plug socket in here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think there’s power in here. We’re basically in a shed.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked around and spotted something useful. A couple of old oil lamps had been left on a shelf. She picked them up and tipped them to listen for the telltale sound of liquid inside. “We could commit a little arson of our own.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shed full of wood, sounds good to me.” He took one of the lamps and opened it, pouring the contents around the chest freezer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gwen took a few pieces of dried wood from one of the broken shelves and soaked it in fuel, lifting the lid of the freezer just enough to stick it inside. “Ready to go?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Got a lighter?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took one from his coat pocket and handed it to her. “I always carry one. You should too.” He said as he climbed up onto the table by the window.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know you’re not getting this back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just light it and let’s go. I hear sirens.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She held the flame just under the plank she’d jammed into the freezer lid. It caught almost immediately and lit up with a loud fwoosh. Embers fell onto the fuel below and as Gwen followed Owen out of the window she could feel the heat rising at her back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now we just need to get Sven home and it’s as if none of this ever happened.” Ianto said, watching the cult members being dragged away by a hoard of police. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack frowned. “Not just yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walked towards the woman they’d seen earlier who was kicking and screaming. He gestured for the officers to drop her. “She’ll have to come with us. We have a few questions for her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One officer looked as if she was about to argue but her partner shook his head and gestured to Jack that the woman was all his. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gwen joined him. “And why are we taking her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s been swallowing eggs. We need to make sure they don’t hatch.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can they survive stomach acid?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She should be dead from the egg toxin alone.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman on the floor continued to kick and shriek. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Owen can you please sedate her.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen sighed. “You could just knock her out but ok.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Melody had just washed up when she heard a knock at her door. She opened the door to see Ianto looking like he’d been crawling around one of the dustier archives. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, hi. Is everything ok?” She asked with a warm smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shifted uncomfortably. “Can I come in? I need to talk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course. Make yourself at home. What have you been crawling around in?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A hay loft actually. Something smells nice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been baking. You’re welcome to have some.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe later.” He slipped off his shoes and Jacket, leaving them both by the door, ever the picture of good manners. He sat on the sofa and dusted off his trousers nervously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sunk into the other sofa. “So, how can I help?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where do I even start?... Since I found out about what Yvonne did I… I’m not really sure of anything. I keep trying to work out what’s real and what’s not.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wish you’d talked to me sooner. Every memory you have is real.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How can I be sure?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“False memories don’t hold up over time. They simply aren’t detailed enough so the human mind takes them apart.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So… Everything I felt was real?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. Definitely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He visibly relaxed. “And here I’ve been trying to work it out on my own… Do you think there’ll be any, I don’t know, lasting effects?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For your future? No. Sadly the memories you’ve lost are gone, but it shouldn’t affect your future. I can try and put your memories into the correct timeline if you want but it isn’t going to be a comfortable process and it could take some time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just want to feel like I know myself again. I mean why do all this to me if there isn’t a reason. Wasn’t a reason. What if one day I trigger something and hurt someone? That’s what it’s for, isn’t it? The whole sleeper agent thing.” He fidgeted, playing with his fingers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would have seen-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But would you? Can you be sure? No offence, but Torchwood one had things you wouldn’t believe. Things noone should have had.” He raised his voice, his thoughts chaotic and swirling. “I trusted that none of it would ever be used on me. I trusted them. Trusted Yvonne, and she dug her way into my head.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He began shouting. “How could you possibly understand?! You just look at things from the outside, like flicking through bloody channels. You don’t know what it’s like to look in the mirror and have no idea who’s looking back. I just want to be sure! I need to be sure! God, I wish Jack had never said anything to me. I could have lived in blissful bloody ignorance to all of this.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“O-of course… I’m sorry.” Her voice sounded so small, fragile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something about it snapped him from his frustration, it all ebbing away in an instant. “No… I didn’t mean-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine, really. You shouldn’t apologise for expressing your feelings.” She gave him a sympathetic smile, her hair covering her eyes but accentuating the reddening of her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh god, and now I’ve made you cry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This?” She rubbed her eyes. “No, no. I’m just tired so my eyes are watering. Don’t worry. Anyway, I’m meant to be helping you, not upsetting you.” The way her voice shook said she was lying through her teeth. She swallowed down the painful lump in her throat. “Would you like me to double check to see if any kind of trigger was left behind?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He studied his feet. “No, I shouldn’t ask you for anything else. I’m sorry.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really, I don’t mind.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As long as it won’t be too hard on you. I promise I won’t shout again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shout all you like. Swallowing down your feelings isn’t healthy. But for now just relax and I’ll have a look through, ok?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rested back and closed his eyes, still feeling awful. The pressure in his head wasn’t as bad this time. He guessed because she wasn’t having to fight through layers of hidden damage anymore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mind was certainly more orderly and many of the web-like strands had started to naturally die off. Minds were resilient and usually healed quite well given a push in the right direction. She swept through, following the strings to make sure nothing had been implanted. There were repressed memories, and some that she could feel emotions radiating from, but nothing that would denote a hidden trigger. Most of the shards had been brushed away so movement was easier. It didn’t stop her almost nudging into that awful memory that made her mouth taste of smoke and her head fill with the coppery scent of blood. In her rush to avoid it she bumped into another. This one was filled with terror too. The smell of hay, plastic and blood was heavy. Every part of her body ached and her equilibrium was off. A head injury? Possibly. Her mouth tasted like a mix of blood, cotton and salt. It was too much. She threw herself from the memory and snapped back to the outside world. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“N-no sign of… Any triggers or leftover programming.” She spluttered, standing shakily and grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stood and followed. “Are you ok?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me?” She swallowed down a quarter of the bottle. “I’m fine. Are you? I didn’t hurt you did I?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not at all. You look like you’re about to pass out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine. You’re healing really well. Sorry, did you want a drink?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shook his head and reached out to steady her before she toppled over. “You should sit down.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… I think I just overdid it a bit… With last night and all… I’ll just get an early night. Sorry, I’m an awful host.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He guided her back to the sofa. “This is my fault.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t blame yourself for other peoples actions. I’ll be right as rain by tomorrow morning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should I stay? You really don’t look well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ianto. I’m serious. It’s ok. You should tell Jack the good news. He’s been so worried about you. Everyone has.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew she was right but it didn’t make him feel any better about leaving her. “Can I check on you later? Just a call?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it makes you feel better, of course.” She smiled, sipping more of her water. “Go on. And tell Tosh I hope the system maintenance went well.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“System… Oh, oh yes. Right. I will.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll bring in cake tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks. And I’m sorry for shouting. I promise I’ll make it up to you.” He slipped his shoes back on, realising that he’d been there for at least an hour as she looked around his mind, and folded his jacket over his arm. “Talk to you in a bit.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She waved politely as he let himself out. As soon as she heard the lift ding she scrambled to the bathroom, her stomach lurching painfully. The taste of blood still strong in her mouth, mixing with that awful smokey taste. She tried to wash her mouth out with what was left of the bottle of water but realistically she knew it wouldn’t help. Only time would make it fade. She crawled back to the sofa and curled up, her head aching.       </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That night was the first decent sleep Ianto had gotten in weeks. In fact when he usually would be lurching out of bed desperate for caffeine he decided that five more minutes were in order. Everything else could wait, just a little while. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Hatching</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Melody dragged herself out of bed and plodded over to the bathroom for a cold shower. Anything to wake her up. She’d been barraged with a whole host of new nightmares and it showed. No amount of washing could take the grey cast from her skin, or wipe the bags from under her eyes. The cold water helped clear her head a little. She almost considered calling in sick but, she thought, tired did not equal sick. Plus Ianto would likely end up feeling like it was his fault, which was the last thing she wanted. It wasn’t his fault if she cried when anyone raised their voice. Plus he had every right to be angry with the whole situation, and she’d never actually said that she didn’t just view memories from the outside. It was just a natural assumption. That didn’t change the tears prickling at her eyes or the painful lump in her throat. She pushed it down with a sad attempt at breakfast that she couldn’t bare to finish. She packed the cakes up and put them in a bag, using her sketchbook to keep the bottom flat. Maybe the walk would help. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The trip to work felt so much further than it usually did and her chest burned with the effort. She just had to remind herself that the shooting pain running across her ribs was just psychosomatic. Just a stress reaction. The tourist information centre was empty when she arrived and she wondered for a moment if Ianto was still trying to deal with things. She wouldn’t blame him. She made her way down to the main area of the hub to see Tosh at her desk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning.” Mel said, attempting a convincing smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked up. “Oh, good morning. Ianto said he’s going to bathe Janet so you don’t need to worry about getting soaked.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, ok.” She was almost disappointed, but it was probably for the best. Being exhausted around even a tame weevil was asking to get bitten. She placed the bag of baked goods on a clear part of the desk. “I brought cake. They’re labelled so feel free to help yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks… Are you ok? You look pale.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My sleep’s just a bit messed up. I’m sure once I’ve had a coffee I’ll be much better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t believe a word of it but she wasn’t the kind of person to pry. “As long as you’re sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My office, five minutes.” Jack said as he swept past, patting Mel on the shoulder as he went. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mel ran off to put her shoulder bag away before returning, hoping she wasn’t in some kind of trouble. Jack was sat at his desk as she peeked into the office. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to stand in the doorway you know.” He smiled softly, gesturing for her to take a seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat. “Is there something wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? No. I just wanted to know if you were ok after Saturday night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” She relaxed a little. “I’m fine, yea. I hope that woman made it. My friends just thought it was a mugging gone wrong so they moved on pretty quickly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And the date?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Date?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s usually why you go to the movies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She chuckled lightly. “Looking for gossip I see. Yea, it went well all things considered.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thinking of going on another?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s the plan. I mean Heather’s enthusiastic…</span>
  <b> Really </b>
  <span>enthusiastic, but I don’t know if I’m ready for another relationship yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked almost disappointed. “You were so excited before.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. Don’t get me wrong, Heather’s really nice and she’s gorgeous but there’s just so much I’m not going to be able to explain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said you’ve already got a second date. Don’t worry about it until then.” He shrugged. “You’re just going out, not getting married.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She chuckled softly. “Yea. I suppose. Is there anything else? I should really get to the office and open up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wish all my staff had that kind of enthusiasm.” He considered something for a moment but as usual she couldn’t tell what. “Go on. Wouldn’t want to fall below Iantos high standards.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The woman from the cult, now known as Karen, was strapped down to the medical table. She was technically sedated and by all accounts should have been completely unconscious, but somehow she’d fought it enough to glare at Owen as he worked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I won’t let you take them.” She hissed, her words slightly slurred.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen had been ignoring her but she was starting to get on his nerves. “Not like I’m trying to save your life or anything.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t need saving! The eggs are keeping me alive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The doctors gave me a few months to live before I found out about the sea angels. I thought, why not? The first night I was there we feasted on a fallen ones flesh and for the first time in over a year I felt like myself again. The pain stopped. So when they showed me the eggs I began experimenting. I cooked the first one but it just made me sick. Then I tried cracking it open but that was even worse. Then I ate one whole and it was a miracle. No more pain. No more tiredness.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He double checked the blood test and began formulating a theory as to why. “So since you started eating the eggs have any of the creatures left?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, why would they?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned on the projector so she could see the screen he’d been looking at. Placing a silver device under her hand a humanoid outline appeared on the projection. “This is you. In a way I think you’re right about them keeping you alive. They’ve been eating any cancerous growths they find.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See? I told you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The toxin they produce started killing off the pain, but they only had so much to feed on.” The image filled with representations of her organs, her heart thumping away rhythmically. Her heart beat wasn’t alone. At least twenty others pulsed around her body. “You don’t feel full when you eat anymore, do you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was acting tough but the horror was beginning to dawn on her face. “I don’t need to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought if they were living inside you it’d be visible but they’re smarter than that. They’re built to stay hidden so predators don’t find them. No pain, no inflammation, stay away from the skin and eat what you can to keep you alive. They’re the only things holding you together but they’re eating you alive.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“N-no. You’re wrong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re parasites Karen. They don’t give a shit about your survival. Now, you can help me try and save your life, or you can keep being stubborn and they’ll finish their work by the end of the week.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stared at the projection. “Oh god… What have I done.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mel was about to open up the tourist information centre when she remembered that Ianto was giving Janet a bath. She wanted to check on him anyway so it would be a good time. She could visit Peaches and Raspberry too, which always brightened her day. She quietly made her way down and saw that Janet was bathed and happily sitting in her cell. Maybe he’d moved on to check on the fishers. She heard the low hum of another mind. A new being in the cells? She walked forwards and peeked into the cell, meeting the cephlodians onyx eyes. Her blood ran cold and her voice failed her. She turned and sprinted up the steps, heading for her hiding spot in the stationary cupboard. In her terror stricken mind it was the safest place, logic long forgotten. She crumpled to the floor in the furthest corner as that awful shooting pain returned to her ribs. She curled up, her knees tucked under her chin, arms wrapped tightly around them. The room seemed to spin as she lost feeling in her extremities, something close to static running down her arms. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think clearly, the world was too loud and much too bright. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jack had just been about to check on Owens progress when he heard Tosh call out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mel?” She stood, looking worried. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tried to see what she was looking at. “What’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Melody just came running up from the cells. She looked terrified.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All colour drained from his face. “Let me deal with it, ok?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what’s-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She saw Sven.” He clarified as he ran after the woman in the grips of a full panic attack. He only just managed to hear her slam the door to the cupboard. He slowed to a stop and knocked on the door. “Melody? Can I come in?” There was no answer. He opened the door and almost missed her in the dark cupboard. He switched on the light. “Melody?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A small squeak came from the shivering figure that somehow shrunk even further. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He crouched and reached out. “Melody. It’s ok.” He said softly. “You’re safe.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her reply was barely audible and she flinched as he rested a warm hand on her shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I’m not going to let anything hurt you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She almost flung herself into the wall as she lifted her arms defensively. “Please don’t!” She begged, eyes tightly closed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mel.” He breathed, unable to help feeling devastated that she was so terrified of him. He couldn’t just leave her lost in what he suspected was some kind of flashback. He pulled her into a tight hug, letting her struggle weakly. “Shhhh. Listen, I need you to wake up. Whatever you think’s happening isn’t real.” He soothed. After a few minutes she started to calm down. “You back with me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t answer. She just wrapped her arms around him, holding on desperately to him, still scared but finding comfort in just being held. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry… I’m sorry for everything. Looks like all I can do is fail you.” His voice cracked as he tried to get through to her. “I’m sorry I’m a monster.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A small sound rose from the shivering figure. “You’re not.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am, even if you forgive me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not the man in my nightmares you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I looked into your therapists records. I know a description of myself when I see it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I only said it was a man in a blue coat. I never said it was you in the coat. Dreams aren’t so literal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked down at her. She looked so small and frail. “Who else could it be?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When I was in the hospital… Do you remember visiting me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea. You were hiding from the doctors under your bed, but your IV gave you away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did I tell you why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He paused and tried to remember such a small detail from so long ago. “I don’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One of the doctors terrified me. He wore a blue lab coat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if it had been suddenly replayed Jack remembered the doctor she was talking about. He’d been sent from Torchwood one as a last ditch effort to convince him to hand her over to their care. The doctor had been a cold and calculating bastard with a crocodile smile. “How did you meet him? Alex told him to go back to London. I told him to go to hell.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The night before you visited he wanted to examine the damage the parasite had done.” She gripped her shirt just over the scar. “He didn’t see me as a hurt child. He saw me as a test subject at best. I remember his assistant telling him he couldn’t do anything without the anaesthesiologist, but he didn’t care. Minds are strange things. Mine linked two traumatic events and two people wearing blue.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His face flushed with rage but he knew it was no use. The doctor was long dead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry about this. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a panic attack this bad… Not since I was in school.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I tried to get this whole mess done before you got back so that didn’t happen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought everyone was acting a bit strangely.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked around. “Think you can walk? Sitting on the floor of the stationary cupboard isn’t exactly comfortable.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably not. Sorry… Let me have ten more minutes and I can head back up to the office.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stood and lifted her up into his arms. “No. You’re going to sit on the sofa and eat cake until you feel better. You look like hell.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honestly, I feel like hell.”    </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gwen and Tosh both rushed to the med bay, hearing Owen cry out. He was sprawled across the floor, blood running down from a small cut on his forehead. Karen wasn’t moving but the cephlodians were. They’d cut their way out in a panic and attacked what they saw as a threat. Unlike the one in Rhys’s arm these were much more developed. Their tentacles flailed out violently, lashing at the air as they crawled away from their original host. Gwen grabbed a metal tray to use as a shield as she ran over to Owen, helping him back to his feet. The tentacles slapped against the steel, leaving small dents where they struck. Tosh grabbed a welding rod that had been left under her desk from another project and swung it, smacking one of the creatures into the steps, its tentacles falling limp. Another lunged for her, wrapping itself around her arm. She tried to pry it off but found she couldn’t get any grip on the slimy alien. Owen, now back on his feet, used a pair of scissors to separate it from its limbs and threw it off. They all retreated to just beyond the archway, Gwen still using the tray to bat the creatures back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen grabbed a pair of Toshikos gauntlets she used for more dangerous technology and slipped them on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Tosh asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took a deep breath. “I’m going to freeze them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rushed past, grabbing the tray from Gwen to protect his head. He slid down to one of the cupboards and pulled out a metal canister, unclipping the lid one handed. An icy mist rose from the open vessel. He dropped the tray and gripped the canister, springing up and tipping its contents over Karen and the emerging cephlodians. A high pitched chorus of squeals came from the creatures as they froze, their spindly tendrils cracking and falling away. He dropped the canister and retreated back up the steps before any liquid nitrogen caught him. Mist rolled from the medical bay as a very confused looking Ianto approached. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Experiment gone wrong?” He asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen deflated, wishing that the man would read the bloody room for once. “I need more liquid nitrogen.” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Baked goods heal all wounds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mist had stopped rolling out of the med bay, but Owen decided it would be a while before he could separate the mass of frozen alien and person that was stuck to his table. He’d chosen to join the others in eating cake and pretending what had just happened was just a bad dream, at least for now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are we doing about Sven getting to his home planet then?” Gwen asked, taking a bite from her slice of lemon drizzle cake.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack dusted the crumbs from his shirt. “Remember the anthropologist from the buried ship? He’s been pretty busy and managed to trade for a small ship of his own. He’s going to fly by tomorrow and pick Sven up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good for him. Nice to know that’ll be an option in the future.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Always good to have contacts.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about the rest of the cult?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No one’s going to believe anything a squid worshipping cult say so I wouldn’t worry about it. The police can deal with the mess.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She noticed Tosh looking to the cog door. “What’s up?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm? Oh, just wondering if Melody’s ok up there. Do you think she’s upset that we didn’t tell her?” Tosh noted, a little worried. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack shook his head. “She just wanted some daylight and quiet. I told her she could go home if she needed to, but it’s Mel, I think just going home and resting is against her religion unless it’s a direct order. Anyway, Ianto’s gone to check on her.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Melody leaned against the wall, just outside the tourist information centre, just letting her body take in the oxygen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There you are. I brought cake.” Ianto smiled from the doorway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She followed him inside. “You didn’t need to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wanted to thank you for yesterday. I’m not doing very well as you’re the one who made the cake but I made the coffee.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t need to thank me.” She chuckled softly. “But I appreciate the gesture. Are you feeling better?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A lot better.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a long silence as they sat and snacked on the cake. Ianto sighed. “I’m still sorry for shouting at you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s ok. I should have chosen my words better.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not an excuse.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She sipped her coffee then looked down into the mug. “You were wrong though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know… But which bit?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t just watch memories, that’s not how memories work. They’re sensory experiences… Smells, tastes… Feelings. Everything that makes up what a memory is.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He studied her carefully, slowly realising the implications of what he’d just been told. “Then why do it? Why not block it all out?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why do you risk your life for people you’ve never met and don’t know you exist?” She smiled sadly, staring at her reflection in the dark liquid. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So every memory you looked into when you were in my head…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How do you even keep going? Carrying trauma that isn’t even yours?”    </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Most telepaths don’t… I suppose I just go day by day, appreciate the little things just a bit more, let my mind suppress what it can. Sometimes other peoples memories don’t settle and stick, sometimes they do. I’d tell you more but it’s a bit TMI.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve literally been in my head. I think I can handle it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She took another sip and let the liquid settle before speaking again. “It’s why I got into BDSM. It lets me forget for a while. Clear out my thoughts and just exist. Just in the moment, not having to control everything around me so carefully. It’s the only time I sleep properly to be honest.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We all have our emotional outlets… How did your date go? I mean-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It went fine.” She sighed deeply. “Heather seems to really like me and I like her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then why do you sound so depressed?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because I don’t know if I could handle lying to her about my whole life. I’m scared of letting someone new into my heart. Scared of what my telepathy could turn her into. Scared she’ll run away the first bad night I have. Scared I’ll never be able to just let go of all of my anxieties ever again. It’s a lot.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dating while in Torchwood is always going to be a lot. Sometimes you just have to risk it and hope it doesn’t come back to bite you. You shouldn’t think about it for now anyway. Panic attacks don’t leave you thinking clearly.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“True…” She looked down at her slice of chocolate cake. “I added too much sugar to this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He laughed softly. “I think that’s a matter of personal taste.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where were you earlier?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I gave Janet her bath, then went to give the fishers their breakfast. When you came down I was probably shoulder deep in their tank.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They have a new favourite game. It’s called distract Ianto, steal his wallet and hide it with the shell collection.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Owen began the long and tedious process of collecting up the fallen tentacles from the earlier battle, finding most of them still frozen solid. It was a blessing really. As long as they were frozen they weren’t slimy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack leaned on the railing. “You never got back to me about that psych evaluation.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s because I want to double check it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh?” His confusion was clear. Owen could throw together a psychological evaluation in an hour if he pushed himself so there had to be more to it. “What did you find?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing and that’s the problem.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t follow.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s too safe. It’s like she’s been made specifically to be harmless and it’s suspicious, but no matter how hard I looked into her I can’t find any evidence of tampering. She’s educated but doesn’t excel. Confident but not arrogant. Stable job and home life, savings in the bank, independent, no health issues. She’s never even lost her temper at someone online. And she’s exactly Mels type.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe she just hit the jackpot.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is Melody we’re talking about. Anyway, it gets stranger. Heather didn’t have an online presence at all until a year ago. No social media accounts. No online banking. No email address. Nothing. I don’t think she’s a threat for now, but I think we should keep an eye on her.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right. Don’t let Mel know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You sure?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just until we know for sure. She’s got another date lined up so we could investigate what’s going on with her in person.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I won’t tell her a thing, but she’s going to find out and she’s going to be pissed that you didn’t tell her.” He dropped two handfuls of tentacles onto the table. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’d be angrier if I did tell her and it turned out to be nothing.”  </span>
</p>
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